The Tiger Sleeps
by Evangeline Pearl
Summary: Sarutobi Hiruzen was old and weary. The sudden appearance of a clan requesting sanctuary leaves him wondering when he can truly retire. A clan of nine petitions for acceptance, but will their offered abilities really hold a candle to the potential threat they may be? Will suspicion prevent the good they could offer? (Warning: MPREG)
1. Byakko: The Tiger Sleeps

Sarutobi Hiruzen was old. He had been the first Hokage, and remained to be the only, to survive and peacefully retire from his position. He had overseen the training of his successor and relinquished the mantel for a new Konoha. He had survived the attack of the Kyuubi, and the fall of his successor. He was old, he was _weary_ , and he felt every bit his age as he stared down at the deceptively slim stack of papers upon his desk.

Surely, it was the least amount of paper his desk had ever seen in nearly two decades, but it came with the quality of that many times its quantity.

He spun his chair to face the window behind him and stroked his salty beard in contemplation, pipe half tipped from his lips. It was easy to wish to accept the proposed request. Very easy, and that was what made it all the more suspicious.

The contract was simple.

And quite honestly? Too simple and too _good_ to be realistic.

An orphaned clan (and just how many of _those_ had he seen in his time?) requested permanent residency and sanctuary in exchange for a multitude of gifts Konoha could never hope to repay. From external medicines and miracle cures to monetary stability and even a new kekkai genkai.

How could he refuse?

Yet, at the same time, how could he possibly accept?

They were providing a solution to just about all their current tribulations. It almost made him curious to see what else they had to offer.

However, what worried him most was that he had never heard of this group before.

They were powerful and could tip the balance of power whichever way they swayed, but there was absolutely no whisper of their existence before this letter. Even the contract currently burning a hole in his desk and in his mind was air tight and though appeared to be equal in favor, allowed just a tad more secrecy to the other party.

It took skill, and strength, to do such a thing. And people did not become strong in the Hidden Countries without being known.

His curiosity was getting the better of him, this he knew, and so he also knew his judgment was already slightly impaired. Snapping his fingers to summon one of the ANBU from his office walls, he hummed pleasantly around his pipe and said, "Find Commander Nara and his associates." The use of his commander's occupational title rather than his lordship certainly told his subordinate of the urgency to the matter. "Have them report to me at their next availability."

Which was a mighty kind way of saying: get their asses in my office _yesterday_.

Konoha's Hokage did not have to wait long—he never did with this group, unlike _someone_. Elsewhere, a certain silver haired Hound ANBU Captain trembled with the suppressed urge to sneeze. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," he greeted with a slow, dramatic turn of his chair to face the three imposing men that stood across from him. "I apologize for any inconvenience my summons may have caused you." The three acknowledged and accepted the admission with a nod of their heads, and he went on, "Unfortunately, the matter is urgent. I find myself in quite the dilemma. Look through this and inform me on your thoughts."

He carefully spun the file on his desk and pushed it forward with just the tip of his gnarled index finger, watching their faces closely.

Nara Shikaku was head of his clan as well as Jonin Commander, and his laidback persona hid the most brilliant mind in all of the country of fire. His clan's disposition to be lazy made the transition from the napping Nara Clan Head to sharp, serious Commander more than terrifying in its own way. The man's dark eyes sharpened as he read.

Sarutobi did not allow himself to be phased by his Commander's impassive stare. He had only seen the man enraged once before, and that had been the day his Lady wife was killed. Still now, the intensity in his eyes affirmed that his own suspicions were not unfounded.

Yamanaka Inoichi was quite similar to his childhood friend and genin teammate. They both hid their darker, dominating personalities behind a persona-non-grata type façade. He was externally equal parts kind, calm and the soothing balm to a bee's sting.

This, too, did not fool Sarutobi. He had personally seen this man rip apart the mind of a traitor and regress yet another to a drooling, mindless mess. His reaction was most peculiar, he thought. Inoichi's eyes lit up in curious wonder, then fell back to their impassive blankness.

Akimichi Chouza was the simplest of his teammates, though also the team leader. Most would have pegged Shikaku, for all his laziness aside, for the role, but no. Chouza was the weighty balance between his two companions and brothers in all but blood. He was discrete for all his massive size made him impossible to hide. He fought with ferocity and protected his loved ones with that same viciousness.

Thus, Sarutobi knew that if this contract passed the evaluation of these three men, it could be trusted. Seeing that they were taking the contract seriously as was appropriate, he turned back to his window and waited for the verdict they would return.

"Hokage-sama," the Nara said, his tone tight with simmering curiosity, "Who sent this request?"

"We do not know," Sarutobi replied with a laugh and a shrug of his shoulders. "It merely appeared at the check in desk outside the front gate this morning."

Yamanaka announced, "Cautious then."

Humming in agreement, the Hokage tapped out his pipe and placed it back on his lip to inhale deeply. "Yes, they are also quite brilliant." Pausing to exhale silver rings, he turned and raised a wizened eyebrow at them, "What do you say on this gamble?"

Nara glanced back at the contract then set it on the desk, and his shoulders promptly rounded downward in a slouch as he lost the intensity that had gathered about him. "They have written it well. Regardless of the fact that they request both permanency and sanctuary, what they are willing to offer more than makes up for it."

"Yet it begs to question what they need sanctuary _from_ ," Yamanaka said quietly, pale eyes thoughtful, "What is to say they are not on the run from a megalomaniac of which we have also not heard of?" He tapped the papers with his index finger and the drum of his nail against wood echoed ominously, "We have never heard of them, and they are obviously on the run from _something_ that knows them intimately well. How can we defend against a threat that we do not know?"

The Akimichi popped a chip in his mouth for the first time since entering the Hokage's office and decided to break up the conspiracy theories, "What say we propose a meeting with an envoy? Judging their request without even meeting them at all seems a bit unfair. Considering they have seemingly no other option than to reach out to us or another hidden village, it ought to be the least we can do."

Looking from one to the next, Sarutobi cracked a smile, "Objections?"

When none were made, he pulled a scroll from his desk and a brush. Writing out their determination in formal calligraphy, he rolled it thrice and tied it off with a ribbon. Then, handing it to the men before him, he said, "I trust no other with this. Perhaps delivery is a task beneath you, but considering the circumstances, I cannot in good conscience send anyone else."

* * *

Two weeks later saw Sarutobi Hiruzen and his three chosen advisors in his office across from three very different individuals.

Of the three, two were male and appeared to be almost mirror reflections of each other. They were identical in frame and height and bulk, but where once was pale as day and blond, the other was dark as night and bore equally black hair. Both kept their hair long, tied back from their faces in a low, hanging tail, and the question of it being a Clan habit was considered. They both had silver eyes, and neither looked any of them in the eye, choosing instead to remain on either side and behind the sole female amongst them.

The female was tall for a woman and bore long crimson—almost Uzumaki red—hair that swept down to her waist and also tied in a similar fashion to the men behind her. She had blue eyes and a kind, though wary, smile on her face. "It is a pleasure to meet you," her voice was deep as she offered the pleasantry, and she bowed elegantly before she sat in the chair offered to her.

Both men remained standing behind her.

"My name is Byakko Ayane," she said then waved a hand to the dark male behind her followed by the blond, "and the gentlemen behind me are Mamoru and my husband Ryuu." She paused to let both men bow curtly, then she quickly got down to business, "Before we begin, I must explain an unusual characteristic of our clan. We all carry the name of 'Byakko' but everyone but the main branch is written with the character for fox. The main family, currently compromised of a sole member, is written with the character for tiger."

She let this sink in then gathered a significant amount of papers from her satchel and set them atop the desk in the area provided. "I was not certain what you would require to know, so I brought as much as the time and journey allotted. Though small, our clan history is extensive and intensive. Perhaps it would be swifter to merely answer any questions you may have at this time."

Sarutobi peered up at the two men stoically standing at her side and privately wondered at the strange imbalance between female and male standing. Then he nodded briefly and crossed his hands idly before him on the wooden desk. The gesture seemed to have made its mark as her smile lightened slightly, "Let us begin with the basics then. How many members make up your clan and what are their skills?"

The Byakko representative sighed softly and shook her head. "And you have managed to ask one of the hardest questions to answer first. Very well." Leaning back in her chair, she collected her thoughts and began. "There are nine of us total. Aside from myself and the two with me, there are Hibiki and his wife Shiori, Tsukiko and Chigusa, Takeshi, and our clan head Hitsuki."

"Their skills are finely intertwined with our kekkai genkai and it is difficult to put into words," she warned tersely, tension tightening her shoulders ever so slightly. Likewise, the two men behind her straightened even more so. "While this may sound unbelievable, I ask you be patient."

"First off, our kekkai genkai does not require chakra and is in fact the existence and implementation of a secondary formation of spiritual energy. Second, our kekkai genkai allows us to bend reality as we see fit," she said the latter portion slowly and carefully, watching as the shinobi weighed her words.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" the Nara head questioned as he stared down at the slender woman, "You do realize you speak of something improbable?"

"Improbable it may be, but it is, I assure you." Byakko Ayane glanced over her shoulder at her blond companion, then she rose to her feet and placed both palms on the table, "Would you care for a demonstration then?" Her eyebrow rose with her voice and she waved a hand towards the men behind her, "We would be pleased to show you just how real our abilities are."

When the Konoha four unanimously decided to take up her offer, she looked at the two men and said perplexingly, "Nothing higher than year three, keep it clean and nothing too dramatic, boys. Go ahead."

Ryuu smirked at her, the expression oddly at home on his face despite it being the first time his expression had changed at all in their presence, and he spoke in a purr-like baritone, "Why, you wound me, darling." She glared at him and he turned to the Hokage with a laugh. Sweeping into a bow, he flexed his fingers and a bouquet of flowers suddenly appeared in his arms. Laying the bundle on the Hokage's desk, he allowed the four men to inspect them with interest to ensure they were not mere illusions.

Then he clenched a fist and opened his palm. Each finger was now tipped in long claws reminiscent of a felines. With one extended, he pointed purposely to the Hokage's hat and the other three were stunned to see it levitate up and move into a crystal rose. He twirled it about his finger and let it fall onto the table before him. "I could just as easily have pulled the heart from your chest." He rumbled as he stepped back into his place, a snap of his fingers causing the hat to morph back, yet the flowers remained.

Ayane sharply rapped her knuckles against his chest in reprimand and he acquiesced with a terse frown. She sat back down and raised her brow even higher, "You will find that we have not used chakra once today, despite our coils being appropriately developed." Then she slid a paper across the table to the Hokage's side, "We cannot disclose more unless you sign this secrecy contract. This information cannot leave this room."

Conflicted though now tremendously curious, Sarutobi read through the contract which was less than a paragraph long and required nothing more than absolute secrecy. He signed with a flourish, and his eyes widened at the sudden sensation of something settling over him. He raised a hand to stop his ANBU from taking their heads, though the men's expressions had not changed and that intrigued him all the more. "What was that?" his tone no longer benevolent.

Ayane tilted her head to the side and a predatory smile crossed her lips, "Just another facet of our kekkai genkai. We have only insured that the information from here on out will not leave this room. Should you or our subordinates attempt to speak of it outside this office, you will simply find yourself unable."

Without preamble, she laid out another file and handed it to the commander behind him, "A profile of all our members and the fields they are most comfortable or compatible with."

After only a few moments of viewing the files, Nara Shikaku cleared his throat, "There seems to be a mistake. You have your clan head listed as male, yet his medical file indicates a pregnancy?"

"Oh that is no mistake," she said, smiling all the while, as if not rocking the foundation of all their thoughts, "Our clan head is indeed male, and he _is_ currently pregnant. With twins." She shook her head at their expressions, "We are a fairly infertile clan. However, even the males in our line are capable of conceiving and carrying a child to full term. The opportunity window is typically even less frequent than with the females, but are more likely to result in multiple births. A full medical file and examination can be requested if our terms are agreed upon."

"You expect us to believe that a man can become pregnant," the Nara asked impassively, and most carefully without infliction. Then proceeded to watch the three before him suddenly become hostile.

"You will not call us liars, Nara," the darker male, who had yet to speak thus far, suddenly said as he stepped forward, "We may be many, many things, but when it boils down to it, being a liar is not one of them. We do not take well to that accusation."

Ayane raised her hand and settled it against the man's arm. The boys calmed, as if all the anger drained out of them, and she in turn raised blazing eyes. "My sincere apologies, _sir_ , but we have had quite the spot of trouble with being disbelieved. It has left a lasting mark upon us." A weighty grief settled across the three, then she raised empty, voided eyes to the Nara's and nodded, "That is quite exactly what I am saying. Our kekkai genkai is capable of bending even the reality of our physical bodies."


	2. Omake: If Hitsuki had Gone Instead

Because there might not be a more in depth explanation in text, I am posting this and will update it as more members of the Byakko Clan appear.

 **Key:**

Harry Potter - Byakko Hitsuki ("White Tiger" "Arson")

Blaise Zabini - Byakko Mamoru ("White Fox" "Protect")

Draco Malfoy - Byakko Ryuu ("White Fox" "Dragon")

Ginevra Weasley - Byakko Ayane ("White Fox" "Color / Sound")

Ronald Weasley - Byakko Hibiki ("White Fox" "Echo")

Hermione Granger - Byakko Shiori ("White Fox" "Poetry")

Neville Longbottom - Byakko Chigusa ("White Fox" "Thousand Grass")

Luna Lovegood - Byakko Tsukiko ("White Fox" "Moon Child")

Theodore Nott - Byakko Takeshi ("White Fox" "Military / Warrior")

 **Other** :

Ryuu (Draco) is married to Ayane (Ginny)

Hibiki (Ron) is married to Shiori (Hermione)

Hitsuki (Harry) is pregnant with twins

Hitsuki is _**not**_ entering a relationship for quite some time.

 **Omake:**

 **(If Hitsuki had Gone Instead)**

Byakko Hitsuki was not happy. His ankles hurt, his back hurt, and his babies were bouncing back and forth between kicking his bladder, his kidneys and his liver. Frankly, the journey had taken a lot more out of him than he had expected, and he was not inclined to make another one back.

Frowning at the old man before him, he narrowed his eyes. Why did Sarutobi remind him _so much_ of Dumbledore? That did not endear this village to him _at all_ , but he supposed sometimes sacrifices had to be made. His Clan needed somewhere safe to live, and Konoha was without a doubt the safest for Clans.

Sighing, he waved a hand in front of the four men's faces. "Hello?" If he had known he was going to break them entirely, he would have sent Ayane and Mamoru instead.

Grumpy, sore and tired, the Byakko clan head barked, "Yes, I'm a man. Yes, I'm pregnant. Can we stop gawking now?"

"My apologies," the pale blond in the back broke out of his stare with a sheepish look on his face, "How does _this_. . . ?"

Hitsuki raised a brow at his trailed off question and sighed. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he reigned back in his temper and his magic, and he looked at him. "Our clan is largely less fertile than average. However, this trait has somehow allowed _all_ members of our clan to conceive and carry a child. My babies were a surprise, and their father will never be a part of their lives."

The blond seemed to catch on to the fact he was less than pleased having to answer questions about it, so rapidly moved on. "How many people are in your clan at this time?"

"Including myself, currently nine," Hitsuki said, glad at the change in topic, "There are others elsewhere, and they will eventually find their way back to us, but until then, there are nine ready to move in today."

Yamanaka Inoichi nodded and turned his attention to the brunette at his side.

Shikaku took over. "You mention a kekkai genkai."

"Yes, two." Hitsuki smirked, pleased at their expressions. "The first is the presence of a secondary coil system and a separate molding of 100% spiritual energy. It allows us to manipulate reality to our will as we see fit. The second. . . well, I could show you, but you would have to show me yours."


	3. Byakko: The Tiger Wakes

Harry—no, _Hitsuki_ , was still adjusting to his new name. Though, it was relatively easy for him. After all, he had had many monikers in his life. As a boy child, he was _Boy_ , _Freak_ , and the likes. Then he was _Harry_ , then suddenly _Harry Potter_ , and the _Boy-Who-Lived_. He was the _Chosen One_ , and the _Undesirable Number One_. So no, adjusting to a new name was actually the least of his worries.

Petting his hands over his protruding stomach, he let his magic swell and bellow around him in hopes that it would keep his babies calm despite his emotional state. Hormones had taught him that trick early on. That it helped _him_ calm as well was of no consequence.

He could feel them move restlessly within his belly, and he sighed. Lifting his gaze, Hitsuki turned to his face to the people around him, his new family. It was nerve wracking to think about what exactly had brought them _here_ , but he could not help the swell of hope within his chest.

He did not like having his family separated. And with Ginny— _no! Ayane_ , his mind automatically corrected itself, and _Ryuu_ and _Mamoru_ away, he and the others were feeling more than incomplete. Having a third of them gone was startling. They had been together for months on end, running then the hop here, and they were still hyped with the instinct to _survive_. And he, he could not protect his family if they were not with him.

In all honesty, he could not protect them at all in this state. Yet, he could not begrudge the babies in his belly. They were quickly becoming everything he and his family lived for. They were the light in the dark, the prayer that maybe their journey would soon come to an end.

"H- _itsuki_ ," he could hear the hitch in _Shiori's_ voice as she approached him. Her hair, which had once been wild and bushy, now lay in long curled waves to her waist, tied back with a low hanging tie. Her warm eyes, hazel now instead of brown, smiled at him as she settled at his side, resting one hand on his back, "They will be fine. We will be fine."

He struggled to wrestle his magic back into the confines of his core. He had come to find it rather liked the freedom of the Elemental Countries. It could sweep outward as far as it liked and not risk exploding something. The air was unpolluted and heavy with the energy of this world.

Smiling awkwardly back at her, he rested both hands on his distended stomach and sighed again, "Maybe I should have gone with them. I, they were going to tell them about me anyway, right? And well, I'm a pregnant _man_ , Mione, people aren't going to believe that off the top of their heads."

"Shiori," she corrected gently but dropped her hand to around his waist and pulled him in to rest his head on her shoulder. "Relax. You know _Ryuu_ is ruthless as he is protective, and Mamoru won't let anything happen to either of them. Ayane knows what she's doing. They all do. We elected them to go for a reason, Hitsuki."

It had been a practice of patience to constantly use their new names, so they would grow used to them faster, but it was working. Already, the slight hitch in their voices as they used the new names seemed to be fading.

"I know, I know," he said softly, burrowing his way into her side, "I cannot help but worry. We've never been apart this long in a while."

Shiori looked up to find her husband settling down on Hitsuki's other side. His fire red hair billowed out behind him as he sat, and she noticed he had not pulled it back yet. Smiling, she nudged her head down at the man half in her lap.

Hibiki nodded and rested a large hand on Hitsuki's back. "Now, come on. We all know my sister's the only one aside from you that can manhandle those Slytherins into behaving. She's practically a snake charmer at this point!"

Hitsuki could not have stopped himself from laughing if he tried, "True."

"And she's pig headed enough to not come back until she's cajoled the Hokage into letting us stay," he waggled his brows teasingly at him, "And that's not even touching on _Ryuu_ 's wicked ways. He could probably talk circles around anyone and they wouldn't even notice. If he got his head out of his arse, maybe." He added the last bit with narrowed eyes, considering.

"I think that's Mamoru," Hitsuki said with a giggle, "Ryuu's more likely to try strong holding his way in. Kind of like he did with us."

Hibiki grumbled, "Yeah, yeah. But Slytherins are known for having silver tongues." He poked Hitsuki in the side, delighted to get a kick in response, "So how are the brats?"

"Now they're going to play beat-the-bludger with my bladder," Hitsuki said with a pout, glaring fondly at his brother.

About then, Tsukiko danced her way towards them, light on her feet and blond hair spinning freely around her. "They are on their way back," she said airily, her expression bright. Still, her eyes were down to earth, more than indicating that she too had been affected by the distance between them. "I think we should pack up. It's time we go _home_."

Hitsuki looked up at her with wide, green eyes. "They did it?" At her nod, he beamed at her and reached for her hand to pull her down as well. Kissing her all over her face, he laughed happily for the first time in a long time, "They did it! We're going home!"

* * *

Inoichi was still not quite sure what to think of the Byakko's. They were odd. They did not walk like shinobi, yet they made no sound. They did not run the treetops like their escorts but kept a brutal pace that was distinctly shinobi speed, even on the forest floor. They were used to uneven terrain and swift turns.

And the dynamic between them all was strange. The blond, Ryuu, was eager to pick a fight, considering less than five hours previous he was threatening the Hokage in an airtight office, filled with armed shinobi. The brunette could not seem to care less about the goings on around him, yet Inochi got the feeling he picked up on more than he appeared to. He was much like Shikaku that way.

The redhead was a whole other matter. She had fire. Much like another redheaded woman he once knew. She was fiercely protective of her family and had a temper that was both quick to flare and quick to fade. Her eyes sometimes had a particular shine to them that made him wary. Still, she stood with pride and elegance and led her boys with absolute confidence they would listen.

Somehow, Inoichi could see the _team_ they could have been if they had been raised shinobi. He doubted anyone else could coral the two men quite like she could. She was married to one of them, he understood from their introduction, the blond if he remembered right.

They were headed towards Uzushio, Inoichi realized belatedly as they ran. They quickly approached the border of forest and beach then water. He almost expected their guests to head towards a town for a boat, when they just kept _going_.

It was like nothing changed, from forest to sand to water. Their feet did not slip, or sink, or even cause a splash as they bolted onward.

Inoichi exchanged glances with Shikaku from the corner of his eye. He still could not feel an ounce of chakra shifting in them.

They were _not_ going to the fallen Uzushio, he had to amend his previous thought soon after, but a smaller island just south of it. And they seemed to pick up speed the closer they got. He could only assume it was like returning to Konoha, the relief of being _almost there_ being unbearable.

And they all, shinobi and Byakko alike, burst through an illusionary barrier at full speed, then had to come to a sudden halt. The three Byakko's skid across the ground, but left no tracks, and he only then noticed that they hadn't been touching the ground all along. They were floating half an inch about it.

But they dropped to the ground before he could blink, and they were walking towards a small house.

Before they even reached it half way, the door was opening and two people spilled out. They were both brunette, though an earthy brown instead of black, and also had their hair pulled back low into a tail. Both were male, and their eyes lit up at seeing their family back. It was strange to feel the three Byakko suddenly come to life.

Ryuu bolted passed them, but not without a hand clamping on both shoulders as he slipped by, asking as he went, "Hitsuki?"

"Restless," the taller, bulkier brunette said in a quiet voice, almost inaudible. Still Ryuu nodded as he vanished into the house.

Mamoru rolled his eyes and his shoulders, then his shoulders slouched easily and he meandered forward at a lazy walk. "We could feel it from three miles out," he said, cracking his neck to the side.

The other brunette nodded, "First time we've been split up."

Inoichi committed the exchange to memory, and Ayane cleared her throat, cocking a brow. "Come on, boys. We were gone maybe nine hours total. It was not that long."

"You know Hitsuki. He's still mad we didn't let him go," the smaller male added, "He doesn't like any of us leaving yet."

Ayane nodded, waving their three escorts forward, "I'll introduce everyone once we are inside." She turned to the Ino-Shika-Chou trio and offered with a smile, "Be welcome. Come with me." She swept past the two men with a nod of her head and opened the door.

The house opened into a large sitting room. One doorway led into a kitchen, and another down a hall. One wall was all sliding doors and were wide open to a comfortable sitting area outside as well.

There was another redhead, just as bright as Ayane's, sitting on a couch beside two other brunettes, Ryuu and another blond. He was roughly the same height as Ryuu and Mamoru, but had a broader build. Ryuu was kneeling beside him, back facing them, as he hugged the person sitting in the middle. They could only see hints of his black hair over Ryuu's shoulder.

The other brunette was female and she had wise eyes. She stared up at them with an owlish persistence, waiting almost. Then she smiled and pushed at Ryuu's shoulders. "Get up. You'll crush him."

Ryuu growled at her, the sound deep and ominous, but he relinquished his hold and stood.

The brunette and redhead rolled their eyes and stood as well, bending to assist the third to a stand. The other blond did not seem to notice their presence, oddly enough, and stared out the open sliding doors with a curious expression. She did, however, turn pale blue eyes to them briefly and there were _worlds_ spiraling in their depths.

Ayane took in a breath to settle her composure, then clapped her hands and turned stoutly to face the three shinobi. "You already know myself, Ryuu and Mamoru. The taller one there," the tallest male aside from Chouza stepped forward and nodded, "is Byakko Chigusa. He specializes in plants. He can mimic your Shodaime's mokuton." Then she nodded to the brunette beside him and he too stepped forward, "Byakko Takeshi. His specialty is warding and runework. I suppose he would be what you call a Fuinjutsu specialist."

"The littlest blond," she smiled at the female blond who twirled in a circle instead of moving forward, "is Tsukiko. She has a way with animals and can sometimes provide insight on things to come." Ayane did not linger long, nor allow them much time to consider her before moving on once more.

"My brother," she nodded to the other redhead who bowed but otherwise did not move, "is Hibiki. His skill lies in all things strategical. He is also skilled in hand to hand combat, your _taijutsu_ I believe, and handy with information." She turned her head to the last female amongst them, "And my brother's beloved and wedded wife, Shiori."

The woman scowled at Ayane and cocked a brow of her own, then added to her own introduction. "I specialize in all things paperwork. My memory is perfect, and if there is something you wish to know, I can find it." She then brought the last Byakko forward.

This had to be the head of the family. He was _tiny_ compared to the others. He barely reached the woman's—Shiori's—shoulder and his hair was distinctly the longest. It brushed his ankles when we walked, and the protruding belly at his front more than settled their claims of pregnancy.

He paused for a moment, resting a hand on his stomach, and glared briefly at the tall redhead at his other side, then turned his attention to them. His eyes were green, darker than the leaves of the trees outside, but bright. They appeared to be poison embodied. Then he smiled and they were warm and encompassing.

Before he could speak, however, Ayane commandeered his introduction as well, "Our clan head, Byakko Hitsuki. He specializes in. . ." she paused, eyes flitting from one member to the next, then sighed, "He specializes in routine annihilation, heavy combat, and _healing_."

The three most definitely did not go together, and the first and second appeared improbable with his current condition. But the way his eyes immediately caught on Ayane's, and the way she _submitted_ without question certainly put some weight behind the words. He cleared his throat and pointedly looked at the kitchen. Ayane went without another word.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," the Byakko clan head said lightly, his voice tranquil and pleasant. "I highly doubt my brothers and sister told you of _their specialties_." He smirked when Ryuu promptly groaned, "Ryuu here works remarkably well with _hunting_ and interrogation. Quite a sadist if I may say so myself. Mamoru handles all external affairs, and Ayane is a _wonderful_ cook, poison specialist, and negotiator."

Hitsuki then looked the three shinobi in the eye and said. "Others of our clan were left behind. But they are determined, and just skillful as us here. They _will_ find their way to us. Byakko never remains apart for long. Our names have meanings, shinobi. Do not take them lightly. We fight only for those behind us. Never for those ahead. You have won the Tiger's allegiance today."

He laughed softly and the sound echoed throughout the house, "Perhaps its loyalty will soon follow."


	4. Byakko: The Tiger Loves

**Key:**

Byakko Hitsuki ("White Tiger" "Arson") – Harry Potter, _heavy combat, healing_

Byakko Shiori ("White Fox" "Poetry") – Hermione Granger, _eidetic memory_

Byakko Hibiki ("White Fox" "Echo") – Ronald Weasley, _taijutsu, strategy_

Byakko Ayane ("White Fox" "Color / Sound") – Ginevra Weasley, _poison, negotiations_

Byakko Ryuu ("White Fox" "Dragon") – Draco Malfoy, _hunting, interrogation_

Byakko Mamoru ("White Fox" "Protect") – Blaise Zabini, _external affairs, internal protection_

Byakko Takeshi ("White Fox" "Military / Warrior") – Theodore Nott, _fuinjutsu, runework, warding_

Byakko Tsukiko ("White Fox" "Moon Child") – Luna Lovegood, _prophecy, animal technician_

Byakko Chigusa ("White Fox" "Thousand Grass") – Neville Longbottom, _mokuton, plants, external protection_

 **Other:**

Ryuu (Draco) is married to Ayane (Ginny)

Hibiki (Ron) is married to Shiori (Hermione)

Hitsuki (Harry) is pregnant with twins

 **Byakko Information:**

Kekkai Genkai One: Alternative Energy Source (magic/mahou) and the ability to _Bend Reality_

Kekkai Genkai Two: Feral attributes and the incorporeal manifestation of their power, their tiger companions. (Hint: It's actually a blend of certain signature techniques. Can you guess which?)

* * *

Nara Shikaku had been a ninja for a _long_ time, and he was exceptional at what he did. His career had been a successful one, despite a handful of hiccups, and his reputation typically carried a weight all its own. He held his perceptive ability in high esteem, and so learning that the building they had spent the better part of the previous evening and night in was a mere, if solid, illusion had been startling.

Nonetheless, the building fell away like paper in the wind the moment the last Byakko had exited its premises. The entire clearing _shifted_ three steps to the side and no evidence that the building had ever been there remained. That alone had him digging a little deeper in his observation of the newest addition to Konoha's ranks.

The Byakko did not look much alike, unlike the other clans of Konoha. There was a variety of eye and hair colors amongst them, and even their bone structure varied widely. Other than the length and style of their hair, the sharpness of their jawline and cheekbones, and the pallor of their skin, they would not have been associated to the same family at all.

Regardless, they each had a strong, solid personality that was unique yet oddly muted when all placed together in the same room. The same fire the shinobi had seen lit up in Byakko Ayane seemed to _settle_ in the presence of her clan head. Not gone, not dulled, but _relaxed_ , _at ease_.

Similarly, the brusque, impolite bite to Byakko Ryuu's voice all but vanished in his vicinity. He was naturally sarcastic, that much was obvious within minutes of meeting the man, but the sharp, hostility was gone. He made quite the imposing image hovering over his clan head's shoulder as he seemed wont to do.

The others were a lot the same. They were a quiet bunch, but that seemed to be only true before the real enigma—Byakko Hitsuki.

The man in question was of a quiet strength. He did not have to see the man on the battlefield to know he could hold his own. The way he walked, his center of balance slightly lower than the average, and the way his eyes were open and alert but calm. It all pointed to his familiarity with being on the warpath.

Now that he could see it in the clan head, he could see it in the others as well. The female brunette was bookish, but he would not be surprised to find out that the pins in her hair doubled as senbon. Her fingers were dabbled with ink, but they were calloused and strong, even from a distance he could tell.

The redhead, brother to Ayane, was a defensive one. His hands kept coiling into fists, despite unwinding them every so often, and he kept himself half a step ahead of his clan head. Still, he kept a cool head despite the wariness, and kept still at his leader's side. He exchanged quite a few glances with the third member Shikaku and his brothers in all but blood had escorted out of Konoha.

His analysis of the situation was cut short when Byakko Hitsuki clapped clawed hands twice to interrupt the argument between Ryuu and the redhead. Then he lifted his head, pushed a curl of hair behind an ear, and he whistled.

The others quickly followed suit, and the sound was melodic, harmonious. Even still, the sound left the distinct feeling that something was missing—the rest of the family was not there to fill the gaps.

One by one, pure white felines emerged from the tree line. They appeared to be tigers, but were far smaller than the ones they were used to, and were incorporeal, almost appearing to be made of white smoke, hovering on nothingness. With them, came the phenomenon of calm and peace, but also a fierce desire to protect.

By the time all of them were out in the open, each Byakko had a feline companion and the clan head had _three_ circling his legs. Suddenly the nature of their second kekkai genkai made sense.

 _"We are Byakko," Ayane had paused then, more for their benefit than for her or her companions. "Our ability to manipulate our first kekkai genkai grows, manifests, and morphs into our second. At a certain age, we begin to manifest an entity outside of us that is both separate but part of ourselves."_

 _"It is sentient," she warned, "but not cemented in the physical world. It can affect the mind just as easily as the body. However, it changes us. It makes us stronger, something more than human, something wilder and different."_

 _She had accented this point by lifting her clawed hands, and between the blink of an eye, her pupils were suddenly drawn into slits. The predatory shroud about her shoulders was also unmistakable. The two men behind her tilted their heads to the side in unconscious habit, and they too grew fangs, claws and the vertical pupils._

 _"We are Byakko," she repeated, "it is part of us."_

They had not chosen their name, Shikaku thought, they couldn't have. His dark eyes cast over each member in front of him and he came to a new realization. Whether or not they were blood related, it was unmistakable that they all had the same bloodline, and it was obvious that they followed Byakko Hitsuki out of choice.

All of them, each one, had recognized him as stronger than them. He was their alpha male, much like Inuzuka Tsume was her clan's current head. Their wilder instincts had may not have been their choice, but it had been what structured their hierarchy. It was still strange to think that Byakko Ayane appeared to be above both her husband and his silent companion.

And the tigers all reflected it. Shiori's was strong, but leaner than the others, built for stamina rather than strength or speed. Her husband's was easily the largest, alongside Mamoru's, and was soon followed by Chigusa's. Tsukiko's was the slimmest, but agile in ways the others couldn't be.

The clan head had a well-rounded group of three at his feet. They were somewhere between Shiori's and her husband's, in size, but their musculature easily exceeded all three of the largest tigers. They were strong, and they were fast.

Elfin already, Hitsuki was ethereal with three of the majestic beasts coiling loosely around his legs. He gently ran his hands over each then they stepped aside, and he rolled back onto his feet. Rising up to his full height, gone was his almost playful aura and in its place was a stifling void. "Everyone ready?" he asked, his voice stronger and much firmer now as he looked over his clan.

At the various nods in response, he picked up his mass of hair and did some complicated twist around his wrist, one that even Inoichi's eyes could not follow, and it _folded_ upward into a tail similar to his clanmates. All of which now seemed to mimic the long, slender tails of their animal counterparts. "Then we draw on the first stage alone," he said while eyeing the female blonde, eyebrow quirked slightly.

Tsukiko giggled, twirling in her spot, and nodded distantly.

The entire Byakko clan turned to the three shinobi, and they could not help but feel like prey in the tiger's den. All nine's eyes were wilder, their pupils slit and their eyeteeth dropped in their mouths like fangs. Their claws were longer, and there was hair raising predatory strength in the subtle curve of their necks.

"Very well," Byakko Hitsuki said around a mouth full of sharp teeth, "Lead the way."

They had fought war—multiple in fact. There was not much that could make the Shika-Ino-Chou trio feel fear, but it was not really fear that they felt then either. It was rather a healthy dose of respect for this clan's sheer _strength_. They were small in number, but something told them that even all of Konoha could not have stopped these _nine_ if they had chosen to strong arm their way in instead.

It made them cautious, wary even, but also pleased to acquire such an ally for their village. They would be stronger together, and in a way, the three shinobi had to acquiesce that this clan obviously knew that to be true even more than they did.

After all, the scars were not hidden. And there some that should have killed this family more than three times over. Yet they had survived, and here they were, together and all the stronger for it.

They set off with caution and hope swelling deep within their chests.

* * *

For the Byakko, Konoha was a sight for sore eyes. Its gilded gates were as heart wrenchingly _home_ as it was a sign for new beginnings. Hogwarts had once been their only home, their only refuge and sanctuary. It, too, had been behind gates. Though those of steel and stone. These new ones, they promised a new home, a new sanctuary.

One they already knew they would fight to keep.

It was strange, each of them knew. They were running from one fight, but were welcoming a new one with open arms. They had been fighting for so long, for their lives, for each other, that they knew nothing else.

They only knew hate in the form of blood pouring at their feet, binding them in its crimson vitality. They only knew love in the fight to reach each other's hands in time of need, desperation dragging them nearer.

The ones that had never been, stopped to look up. First at the sky, studying the clouds and blue stretched over their new home, then to the symbols painted above the gates. They licked the air to get a taste of the village and smiled. Exchanging glances, the nine new residents of Konoha let their protective spirits go. Eight white tigers bolted in, around and over the village on wisps of smoke.

Hitsuki rolled his eyes at his clan, and waved at his own, "Go watch over them." The three tigers bounded off, into the sky, to watch their family seek the border of their home to protect. Cuffing Hibiki, as he was the first to let his roam free, Hitsuki added, "Do not get ahead of yourself."

The three Konoha shinobi waited patiently, watching with confused but intrigued expressions. The tigers really were not physical. They could phase through walls, and fly under their own power.

"Hokage-sama is this way," Inoichi finally interrupted them, as Shikaku signed them in at the check in desk. "He will want to meet you before we find you somewhere to sleep tonight."

Hitsuki nodded without fuss, bundling his clan in the gates. Wrangling nine people of various temperaments into doing what they were supposed to be doing was a skill he had been forced to learn early on with this particular group of misfits. And to think there were still more coming! Not to mention his babies.

They meandered towards the central administrative building, their escorts allowing them a look at their new home without rush. The atmosphere was welcoming and protective, the shadowy warriors glinting off roofs around them only deepening their like for the village. Hitsuki entered the building first, though Hibiki followed directly after and the rest trailing after him.

It had never been easy letting Hitsuki be first. In the beginning, Hibiki himself had thought it to be jealousy. And perhaps once it had been. Their first year, then the second, then the fourth, and fifth, and sixth. Each time, he had been kept behind, left behind. And most, even he, had thought it was because he wanted to be there for the sake of adventure, of fame, or fortune.

Now his entire family—the ones of his heart, not necessarily of his blood—knew the truth: it was of an unbearable protectiveness. Letting the one person that meant more to him than probably his very life go headfirst into a dangerous situation grated on every part of his nerves.

Shiori knew it well too, for she often was relegated to research. As much as she did enjoy the task, worrying for her boys was horrifically taxing on her heart. Stress ate at her every time either was out of sights, and it had taken years for her to acknowledge, and accept, that they were capable in their own rights. That it was her duty to prepare them, to make sure they had all the tools necessary, but to let them do the things they were born to do freely.

Two thirds of the golden trio had to wrestle their instantaneous reactions into submission, and they marched after their clan head with a single handed determination. The diamond and silver trios followed shortly after, the first amused and the latter stoic.


	5. Byakko: The Tiger's Pride

Sorry about that, guys!

* * *

The first meeting between Byakko and shinobi had shaken the very core of everything shinobi knew about chakra . Sarutobi and his closest were still reeling, but he had wiped all expectation from his mind. There was nothing that could walk through those doors that could stun him now.

As the time drew near, Sarutobi tapped the ashes from his pipe and set the instrument to one side. Taking the hat from his head, he ran a hand through his wiry hair and placed the hat back on his head.

The door opened, then, and one of his guards stepped halfway into view. "The Byakko have arrived."

"Let them in," he commanded, curling his hands together in his lap. Things were about to get interesting, this he knew.

He was not sure if it had something to do with clan politics or not, but Byakko Ayane was the first to enter. She paused in the doorway and cast sharp, bright eyes across his entire office. Her pupils were already pulled tight into slits, and the rest of her face was hidden by a cloth mask. Her vibrant red hair was pulled back into a tail again, but this time, not a single strand was free. It was even further wrapped in white bandages from the first tie to another at the end.

There were eight short-swords strapped across her back, and they, too, were pure white with icy blue hilts. The rest of her outfit reflected the same color scheme. She wore leggings and a turtleneck of sheer fabric in white. Her shoes were closed-toed and reached her knees, but they did not appear to hamper her ability to move, and they were also white. The protective plate across her chest and forearms, however, were a cold shade of blue. She also had three holsters strapped to her thigh and two utility belts around her waist in the same color.

She stood there like a vengeful angel for a moment, her hair whipping from side to side behind her. Her hair and presence was so similar to another redhead they all knew that Sarutobi could not help but catalog her features to memory.

Then she bent at the waist in a bow and glided across the floor with cat-like grace. The entire while, her posture was silent, and once she found a position, her presence pulled inward like it was being sucked into a vortex. It was perplexing how little the striking white of her uniform prevented her from blending into the walls of his office.

Even though Sarutobi had only met with her and her initial companions for a short while, he could already tell this sort of behavior was unusual for her. It was cold in its detachment, her entire demeanor distant. The day they had met, she had been warm, even if she had been a bit expressionless. It was as though sunlight had poured into his office and found itself at home in her soul. Now, that warmth was entirely gone, wiped completely away.

Mamoru appeared in the doorway next, though the only way Sarutobi could recognize him was the measurements of his shoulders and height. He wore a closed cloak around his shoulders with a hood pulled up to cover his entire head and face from view. Somehow, the tail his hair made was freely passing through the fabric hood as though it was not there.

He had the largest sword they had ever seen hefted on his back with no apparent holster to keep it there. It was nearly as broad as his own torso and, with its hilt placed behind his head, it stretched below his knees. How he could move with the weight, much less wield the thing, was something Sarutobi had to see soon.

The silent giant that was Mamoru did not bow, but he inclined his head as he stepped through the doorway, and he fell into place at Ayane's right.

Behind him, came Ryuu. He was dressed similarly to his wife. But rather than a mask covering his face, it was a silver scarf that wrapped over his mouth and nose twice, then trailed behind him. He had a whip attached to his belt at one hip, and there was a lethal looking spear strapped across his back. Two of his holsters were blue like Ayane's but the third was the same silver as his scarf.

He moved slowly, like a large, lethargic feline strolling lazily into his office. Three steps in, he turned grey eyes to Sarutobi, though did not meet the Hokage's eyes, and dipped his head into a regal nod. From there, he surged forward to fill the area to Ayane's left.

After him came a slender man. He was shorter than Ryuu and Mamoru, and of a stature that almost seemed delicate next to the three imposing individuals already in Sarutobi's office. He had dark brown hair wrapped in the same white bandage as they, and he had no visible weapons on him. His arm guards were seemingly made of paper, however, and he wore white gloves with black clawed tips on each finger. They were not sharp enough to cut, but then again, if this was the rune-master, they were probably more dangerous than any other weapon he could have carried.

With his entrance, came the faint smell of dawn. Fog and early morning rain seemed to be intimately connected to his scent. His eyes were closed, and he bowed towards Sarutobi then walked to stand beside the others without a single falter.

The one to pass through the doors next was as taller than all the others, and he carried twin double sided battle axes on his back. He wore a vest instead of the chest plate of his clansmen, and instead of arm guards, there were vines wound around his arms and legs. The vines trembled before Sarutobi's very eyes, and surged upward, disappearing into his sleeves as he came to stand on Ryuu's other side.

He could be no other than Chigusa, and Sarutobi was slowly beginning to see what Ayane had meant all those days ago when she claimed names held power. And as he inspected the Byakko members, he came to realize this was their battle formation, and they wore their armor.

White was a color all shinobi had forsaken. It stood out and did not blend into anything, and getting blood out of white was practically impossible. Black blended into shadows, and green blended into the background. Seeing battle gear in white was nearly as surprising as these individuals. They were each so very different, but so collected in their solidarity.

Sarutobi's musings were unfortunately interrupted by another woman coming into view at the door.

Her features were delicate, unlike Ayane's, and her blond hair was not sealed in bandages. Rather it was sectioned into bead-like bubbles with tiny chains. Her face was hidden with a nearly opaque veil and she carried an elaborate fan in each hand. There was a black cat wrapped around her neck and its eyes were closed in contentment. It was so relaxed, it even began to purr as she swept inside. When she bowed to Hiruzen, the cat opened one blue eye and yawned, settling back down as his purr began to rumble even louder.

Once she took her place beside the others, all six Byakko turned their faces to the door and tilted their heads to the left. The gesture was as instinctual as it was one of respect. Baring one's throat was not an easy feat, but they did this now in show of good will and faith. Sarutobi turned his eyes to the door.

The next two to enter came together. They were a male and female pair, the former of which had to be related to Ayane. The eyes and the hair were far too distinct. He had electric blue markings etched elaborately around his eyes and stretching up into his hairline and down under the edges of his mask.

At his side, the woman had a cloak around her shoulders and a silver book with a black spine on her back. She only had one holster on her leg, and she carried nothing else. Not even the protective gear that appeared to be their standard. Blue markings, like her companion's, stretched up from beneath her mask but curved to frame her eyes and bloomed in the center of her forehead.

Neither of the two looked towards their clan members. Instead, they bowed toward the Hokage and stood on either side of the only chair in the room aside from Sarutobi's. They lowered their gaze to the floor and tilted their head to the side, tension and patience filling the air.

Long before the clan head appeared in the door, the very temperature in the air seemed to fall as the air grew oppressively thick with presence.

There was first a swish of a cloak, then the snap of a foot into view and an arm. Then finally his head. He was shorter than all the others, and he wore the standard outfit, yet managed to carry it far differently. His hair coiled around his feet like a bewitched serpent, and there was a single staff on his back, longer than he was tall.

He smiled at the office's occupants, even through his cloth mask, the expression was one of delight. Then he bowed and took his seat across from Sarutobi.

"Hokage-sama," he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

* * *

Later, towards the end of their final negotiations, Byakko Hitsuki paused in mid-sentence and turned to glance at his clan members. They were tense, shoulders drawn up tight, though it did not show on their faces. "May we call forth our other halves?" the Byakko clan head requested with a plaintive smile, "They wish to also map the boundaries of our new home."

Curious, Sarutobi raised his eyebrows, "They won't cause any harm?" Hitsuki shook his head, so he allowed his curiosity to win, "Very well."

Hitsuki turned his head to the side and dipped it in a nod.

The Byakkos' feet became shrouded in a ghost like mist, pooling and swirling up in rippling coils. The mist swelled high, to their waist, then twisted into shape until one by one, a shadowy white tiger was poised at their sides. The emotions that filled the room at their arrival were strong enough Sarutobi did not have to be a sensor to feel them. There was a bone deep longing, hope, pride, desire, and the overwhelming desire to protectprotectprotect.

Byakko's clan head extended his hand and the eleven tigers turned flashing white eyes to him. They inched forward to circle around Hitsuki, giving them all the shinobi a chance to study them. Then Hitsuki clicked his tongue against his teeth, and the felines leaped for the wall.

Like they were made of air, they phased through the concrete and bounded out over Konohagakure on light, energetic steps.

The Byakko left behind all sagged for a moment, as though a weight had been removed from their shoulders, then they returned to ready position.

Hitsuki turned back to face the Hokage once more and carefully reached his hands up to the cloth mask hiding his face. Slipping the tips of his fingers under the edge, he carefully pulled it down to rest under his chin. He, too, had electric blue markings etched into his skin. Only his appeared to begin well under his shirt collar, and swirled up to his cheekbones before dipping into the hairline by his ears, leaving the upper half of his face free of them.

"Be at ease," he said seemingly to no one, but the others slowly began to remove their own facial coverings.

Each Byakko had their own stripes in electric jagged lines. They were tiger stripes, and no two were alike—where some had swirling waves, others were rocky and sharp. And with the unmasking, their presence was once more vibrant and loud.

Ayane's sun-like warmth radiated out from her, and Mamoru stood as tall and imposing as a mountain cliff. Ryuu was cold but thick. The rune-master felt like fog and the heaviness of ink. The one with the variant of mokuton was crisp and clean like fresh air at the tree top. The blond girl was all air and domesticated cat. The girl with the book felt like a library and the zing of electricity in the air after a storm. Ayane's brother was turbulent and wild like lightning chakra.

The myriad that came off them, however, was quickly enveloped into Hitsuki's and merged seamlessly into one gentle storm rolling over an oceans.

"Hokage-sama," Hitsuki said, drawing Sarutobi's focus back to his evergreen eyes, "I would like to gift your village a school."

"A school?" Sarutobi questioned, eyebrow raised.

The clan head dipped his head in a nod. "First, I would like to clear up a misunderstanding about majutsu. Shiori?" He turned his face up towards the brunette woman at his side.

"Hai, Histuki-sama," Shiori spoke for the first time and turned owlish eyes on the hokage. "Hokage-sama, mahō is made entirely of pure spiritual energy. Our networks are specially designed to take in excess spiritual energy and mold it into this new energy. However, chakra is physical and spiritual energy bound together within the chakra reserves."

She paused, watching everything catch up in Sarutobi's eyes, and smiled, "In theory, your shinobi should be able to learn and use certain majutsu."

Sarutobi had to lay his hands flat on the table and stand up at that. "Are you saying your genkai kekkai isn't a bloodline?"

"No," Hitsuki said sharply, rising to a stand himself. "Our family and those of this clan will be the only ones capable of using mahō to its fullest. We are simply saying that there are certain techniques that are hiden instead of fundamentally part of our bloodline."

"I see," the leader of Konohagakure's forces said carefully, studying the waif of a man before him. "And why a school?"

Hitsuki's firm expression gave way to another smile, "Because majutsu has many branches. There are some we cannot teach, but the ones we can, we are more than willing to pass on to anyone who cares to learn. However, we can only teach these techniques to genin or higher. Preferably chūnin. Putting a genin's coils under the stress it takes to separate chakra back into spiritual and physical energy is taxing would be. . . inadvisable."

Sarutobi sank back into his chair, and Hitsuki gracefully slipped back into his own. However, before the Hokage could speak, Hitsuki lifted a hand.

"Tigers live in prides," he said, smile gentle, "and they are prideful creatures. Our pride," he lifted a hand to gesture towards his clan members and himself, "Our pride lies protection. It is our honor and our strongest desire. But our protection can only reach as far as our hands can stretch. That is why we gift you our knowledge. Because, this knowledge can help serve to protect you and yours far beyond what our physical bodies may reach."

He paused to look out the window, "This village is beautiful. Allow us the chance to make it part of our Pride."

And, well, Sarutobi had no words with which to answer that.


	6. Byakko: The Tiger's Patience

I know it's been forever since I updated, and I'm so sorry. I want to say, though, that reading some of your comments honestly brought back a lot of inspiration for me. I don't intend to abandon any of my stories, ever, but that doesn't mean that my update schedule can ever be called reliable. Because I'm so late, I wanted to pose a little reward for you all. See below for details.

* * *

Hitsuki sat beautifully in seiza and behind him stood Shiori and HIbiki to either side, their expressions all frozen in tight-lipped smiles. "You meant to say you wish to test my men?" Hitsuki asked, his tone nonchalant. His poisonous green stare bore holes into Shimura Danzo. While he had expected having to prove his clan's worth, he hadn't expected such a vicious snake to hide amongst the trees.

"Yes." The Shimura clan head declared it evenly, his expression unwavering.

"I see," Hitsuki replied just as casually, "Shiori?"

"Hai, Hitsuki-sama," the woman at his shoulder stepped forward with her book splayed out across her hands. She bowed graciously and held it up for him to read, though he didn't even glance towards her. "According to the grading scale employed by the hidden villages, and our encounters with missing-nin thus far, all of our clansmen quality as tokubetsu jonin at the least."

Hitsuki tilted his head to the side, his hair swaying languidly with the motion, and his gaze swept over the council hall. He studied the expressions of his soon-to-be fellow clan heads and finally rested on Shimura again. "I have no objections."

The statement Shiori made had silenced the hall, none dared to even breathe, but Hitsuki's declaration broke that silence with a sudden intake of air. An entire clan, regardless of its size, being tokubetsu jonin ranked? It was absurd, unheard of.

Sarutobi watched the goings-on without a bat of an eyelash. He needed no test to understand the truth behind Shiori's statement. _"At the least,"_ she had said. He wasn't going to be the one to let it be known they were probably all S-ranked. Every single one of them. The Byakko clan was truly demonic.

The Professor turned Hokage stood and all attention was given to him. "The situation is a bit unorthodox, but since the Byakko have announced their willingness, I propose a battle of wits. Byakko versus the clans of Konoha. Each clan will be allotted one representative to pose a one-on-one challenge. Say, in three days?"

Hitsuki waved his hand in acquiesce and Shiori returned to her place next to her husband. Then he turned his Yamato Nadeshiko smile on the rest of them. "Anyone of chuunin rank or higher are welcome to challenge my men on that date."

He extended his hands and rested them in Shiori and Hibiki's waiting ones. They assisted him to his feet and he turned slightly, his profile elegant and imposing. "Please excuse my clan's impoliteness. We shall seclude ourselves for three days to meditate."

With his brother in all but blood on one side and his best friend on the other, Byakko Hitsuki swept out of the council hall and left the Hokage to the chaos of his subordinates.

* * *

Three days later, every available and able-bodied shinobi in Konoha was gathered at the testing site. Most were hidden though, and only the clan heads and their select entourages were visibly present.

In contrast, Byakko Hitsuki sat across from all the others with all eight of his clan members behind him, their armor and demeanor impeccable. They all donned their facial coverings and the tigers were already swarming at their feet, clouding the ground in a whiteish mist.

"Today," Sarutobi stood to announce without raising his voice, but the clearing was unnaturally silent and all could hear him, "the rules are simple. Anyone of chuunin rank or higher is allowed one challenge. The Clans are limited further to one representative each. Each challenge will end at first surrender, or if one party becomes incapable of continuing. This is a battle amongst friends, so intent to kill is an immediate disqualification and forfeit."

He emptied his pipe of its built-up ashes and sat once more, "Then, let the first match begin."

The words had barely left his mouth when the Inuzuka clan head strode forward, sharp teeth glistening in a smile. "Representing the Inuzuka, Tokubetsu Jonin and Clan Head, Inuzuka Tsume, present."

Hitsuki cast a glance at her, studying both her and the dog at her side, then tilted his head slightly to look at his clansmen. He raised a hand and beckoned with a finger to no one in particular.

The blond male stepped forward, swinging the spear from his back in a striking sweep of his arms. "Representing the Byakko in the Byakko versus Konoha, Byakko Ryuu, present." His scarf muffled the words only slightly and its sweeping tails drifted after him illusively. The tiger at his feet rose from its leisure position and shook itself, but Hitsuki raising his hand had the tiger plopping back on the ground.

The choice was unusual, Inoichi thought. The Inuzuka clan was probably the least suited to being shinobi out of all the clans. They cared little for stealth or strategy. Almost always, they relied on brute strength to get by. Pitting them against Ryuu, who was almost the picture of composure, was odd.

Inoichi leaned forward, suddenly curious about the reasoning Hitsuki had for this fight. There was something about the Byakko that they still did not understand, and this would potentially put forth some answers to his many questions.

On the field, the two combatants bowed their heads in acknowledgement of each other and stepped back to drop into ready poses.

Unsurprising to all who watched, Tsume and her large ninken made the first move. With a sudden burst of speed, she kicked for Ryuu's legs and punched at his jaw with the other arm.

Both struck air, and Kuromaru lunged for the man's thighs, teeth bared.

Having lunged back at her attack, Ryuu used the staff of his spear to block the dog's bite, catching the canine right between the teeth. Spinning the spear into a blur around his wrist, he dove under another of Tsume's punches and used the palm of his other hand to strike her chest.

Tsume had appeared to dodge it, throwing herself to the side to miss it, but the air pressure behind the thrust still had her clothes torn roughly. She caught herself in a skid on her hands, leaping forward again, sharp eyes watching his every move.

Kuromaru had backed away after the first block, but he was on Ryuu's other side.

The spear was impractical in a close-range fight, so Ryuu swung it onto his back, falling into a strangely deep-seated stance. He redirected Tsume's punch with his left wrist guard and blocked her kick with the right. He hooked a leg behind hers and bodily threw her into the way of her ninken's attack.

The dog wasn't alarmed in the slightest and only attacked around her, his claws similarly blocked by Ryuu's legs.

Tired of the dodging game, Tsume dug her toes into the ground and bolted forward at speeds almost too fast to see.

Her fist was met with one of Ryuu's, a sudden stillness interrupting the flow of their fight. The force behind both their punches caused the air to ripple outward, suddenly surging pressure up both their bodies until miniscule cuts opened on both their arms.

To match the Inuzuka in brute strength, just how strong was Ryuu? The blond certainly wasn't the most built out of his clan members. Inoichi wasn't sure if he could really consider this a fight. There wasn't a single wasted move on Ryuu's part, and his counters were simple but devastating. There wasn't even half of an opening for Tsume to exploit, and they were only seconds into the fight and already at a standstill.

"You're not so shitty, brat," Tsume said, spitting blood. She shifted into another of the Inuzuka's stances and watched him closely, "But that's not all you got."

Ryuu quirked a brow but said nothing. He rolled his neck with a crack and shifted weight from one foot to the other, silver eyes going from the woman to the dog and back again. Curling his fingers, claws dropped on each and he finally said, "Three strikes."

The air rung with confusion, but Ryuu was already on the offensive. He dropped a kick on her head but it was dodged, the force of his foot striking the ground creating a sizeable crater. His eyes were practically alight as he ducked under another of her swipes, hand closing around her forearm to drag her forward.

He clipped her jaw with his elbow and was on the move once more, Kuromaru's teeth barely missing his shin. Sweeping his leg under the canine, he thrust up with his foot, forcing the dog up into the air.

Somehow, he had the dog by the throat in one hand and he caught Tsume around the neck with the other, forcing the both onto the ground on their backs.

That last move was too fast for Inoichi to catch, but he easily caught the look of rage on Tsume's face when she realized her position. She struggled not to growl in fury and forced herself to go limp, the surrender obvious.

Ryuu let them both go in an instant, suddenly standing in front of his clansmen as if the last five minutes hadn't occurred at all.

The Inuzuka clan head was displeased, but she could accept her defeat nonetheless. Neither of them had been truly serious, and she had known how her fight was going to end from the beginning. Just because they didn't like strategy didn't mean the Inuzuka didn't understand politics. The Byakko couldn't afford to lose here, so she took the hit to her pride with a laugh.

Now though, her interest in the Byakko was truly piqued. By the time Ryuu had disengaged his spear, he had gauged her speed and her strength, shifting his to match. That was the only explanation she could think of, especially since he had not touched the whip.

She met the blond's gaze and nodded once. She smiled at his returned nod and went back to her seat. "The Inuzuka are satisfied."

Inoichi had the sudden urge to pick Tsume's brain. He made a note to have a talk with her later. While it was true that there were some things only observation could recognize, there were things only those who actively fought could notice too.

Sarutobi smiled around the end of his pipe. Everyone always said the Inuzuka were unintelligent mutts, but there was no one else he would have used to test this new clan. Their feral instinct would pick out the bad apples in a blink.

"Inuzuka Tsume versus Byakko Ryuu in the Konoha versus Byakko has concluded. Next?"

* * *

This chapter was short, but I wanted to get something out to you guys while I had the ideas fresh. Here's my reward:

I'm not intending to include all the fights, or their many possible combinations, in this story. That would clutter the arc I have planned too much. There will only be three more fights in the next chapter, but I'll let you guys help decide which ones. Throw me an opponent (anyone from Konoha that would be reasonably chuunin or higher roughly eight years before canon starts), who you want to pair them against (based on the Byakko's temperament and weapon choice, maybe?), and why!

The most requested and/or best-reasoned fights will be included next. The ones that don't make it in the chapter will instead get pushed into a series of one-shots I have planned to accompany The Tiger Sleeps.


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